Tournament Responsibility

The Eastern Penn Rugby Referees Society, the Rugby Referees Society of New York, the New York State Rugby Conference or the New England Rugby Referees Society will coordinate the supply and arrangements for referees for all Ivy Rugby-sanctioned tournaments provided that the following policies are adhered to by the host Ivy Rugby club:

1. The local society referee Match Secretary will provide your Referee Coordinator (please appoint one) a Tournament Appointment List assigning a Head Referee along with other referees as availability allows. Close contact with the Head Referee shall be maintained regarding all referee business during the final weeks of preparation.
2. The final format including tournament rules, pairings (brackets) showing teams, kick-off times and assigned field number, along with a clear map/directions to the tournament site must be received by the Head Referee no later than 2 weeks before the tournament or as soon as a Head Referee has been designated. All teams planning to compete should have registered by now (with payment of the tournament fee) or else should be dropped. Again, close contact, preferably by phone, is urged to avoid any unforeseen complications or miscommunications.
3. The host club must inquire as to costs for referees when planning a tournament.
4. The host club is responsible for providing each referee with comfortable accommodations (preferably a motel/hotel) for an overnight stay during a two-day tournament (this may include Friday and Saturday).
5. The host club is to provide each referee, by email, with all information regarding directions to the tournament site and housing along with a set of the tournament rules.
6. All scheduling of referees for the tournament games and official local society referee liaison with the host club during the tournament (for expenses, rulings, etc.) will be the responsibility of the Head Referee.
7. A meeting of tournament officials, referees and team captains should be held prior to the start of the tournament (usually about an hour before first game kick-off). All questions about rules, pairings, or any other concerns should be answered at that time. Proof of insurance and CIPP can also be verified at this meeting.
8. All participating clubs should be asked (in your communications with them) as to the availability of any of their players or associates as referees during the tournament. The Head Referee should be kept informed as the information is known.
9. All participating clubs should be advised that they must be prepared to provide a competent touch judge for each game they play (with the exception of the championship game, when referees will be utilized).
10. All participating clubs are to be reminded that their club must carry liability insurance and all players/reserves must have adequate medical/health insurance per USARFU requirements.
11. The host club must have made arrangements for a grounds inspection by the Ivy Rugby/local society referee (see Tournament Guidelines).
    Once approved all fields must be lined/marked in accordance with Law #1 "The Ground."
12. The host club should provide high quality game balls for use at each field.
13. The host club should know, in advance, the jersey colors of all participating clubs. This will avoid conflicts in similarity.
14. All participating clubs should be advised, in advance, of how many games (win or lose) they are expected to play. They should also be advised that failure to play in any of these games (especially in the consolation bracket) will subject them to Ivy Rugby disciplinary action. The host club should obtain Match Contracts from all participating teams in their tournament. Any player ordered off may not play in any remaining tournament games and is subject to disciplinary action.
15. The host club must provide a 5 meter spectator rope (on both sides of the field) during the Championship match. This will allow free movement for the touch judges, avoid spectator interference and reduce the chances of injury to players and spectators.
16. The host club must provide proper medical services; a medical kit and healthcare professional, approved by the Ivy Rugby Tournament Director, must be available on-site.
17. The host club should check the USA Rugby CIPP Database as teams register to insure the club and its players are fully CIPP enrolled. It is incumbent upon the Tournament Director (or other host club official) to promptly notify any teams who are not fully CIPP registered or do not meet minimum requirements. Enrollment can be done on-site, BUT must be through the online registration process with a credit card. The host club will need to make arrangements to have computer and internet access at the site. If this is not feasible, all teams and players must be enrolled and appear in the USA Rugby CIPP database prior to the start of the tournament. Players and or Clubs not fully CIPP enrolled are not eligible to play.